Christmas Tree Shops

Christmas Tree Shops is an American retail chain that began in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, in 1970 as a complex of three small stores (Front Shop, Back Shop, and Barn Shop). The first complex, on Route 6A, explains why the name is Christmas Tree Shops instead of Shop. The chain's founders were Doreen and Charles Bilezikian.[1]

Christmas Tree Shops
TypeSubsidiary
GenreBargains, closeouts
Founded1970
FounderCharles Bilezikian
Doreen Bilezikian
Headquarters
Union, New Jersey
,
U.S.
Number of locations
80 (August 2020)
Area served
New England, Mid Atlantic, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas
ParentBed Bath & Beyond
(2003–present)
Websitechristmastreeshops.com

Since the 1980s, the chain had slowly been expanding beyond Cape Cod. As of May 2014, the company had 83 stores in 18 states. Expansion for the chain has included stores in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Its newest stores opened in Augusta, Georgia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dallas, Texas,[2] and Greensboro, North Carolina; the three opened under new ownership. The chain still has a strong presence on Cape Cod, where it operates six locations.

Christmas Tree Shops was acquired by Bed Bath & Beyond in 2003, though the Bilezikians remain involved in the executive operations. The original stores on Route 6A were closed in January 2007, though the site is now occupied by stores owned by the Bilezikians' son Greg.[3] Some of the earlier Cape Cod stores, as in West Dennis, are dwarfed by recently built stores.

In October 2020, Bed Bath & Beyond sold all 80 locations of Christmas Tree Shops, "andThat!", and the Middleborough, Ma. distribution center to Handil Holdings, a private company, for $250 million.[4][5]

Distribution center

The company maintains distribution centers in Middleboro, Massachusetts, Florence, New Jersey, and Union, New Jersey, the latter opening in 2008. Prior to being moved to Middleboro, distribution was done from the former Cape Cod Coliseum, in South Yarmouth. Union also serves as the chain's new headquarters.

Store concepts

Christmas Tree Shops
The Christmas Tree Shops store at the base of the Sagamore Bridge in Sagamore, Massachusetts.
A big-box shopping center in Paramus, New Jersey, that has a Christmas Tree Shops store in it. Located directly across from Westfield Garden State Plaza mall.

Christmas Tree Shops are bargain stores, selling food, toys, household furnishings, and Christmas decorations. Most stores typically resemble older buildings (Colonial, Victorian, or even Old English barn styles (such as in Sagamore and Pembroke, Massachusetts; and Warwick, Rhode Island). Some, such as the Lynnfield, Massachusetts store, are even more conceptualized; it is known for its lighthouse and fishing village motif.

Christmas Tree Shops also has several stores in enclosed shopping malls, such as inside the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside in Massachusetts, Colonie Center in Albany, New York, and Salmon Run Mall in Watertown, New York.

Christmas Tree Shops Express

"Christmas Tree Shops express" stores feature a smaller footprint; the merchandise mix is oriented towards seasonal offerings.

andThat!

"andThat!" is a new banner used to expand Christmas Tree Shops to other parts of the country not familiar with the concept in order to eliminate confusion. "andThat!" stores have opened in Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Georgia, Florida, and Delaware[6][7]

References
  1. Marquard, Bryan (2016-07-27). "Charles Bilezikian, 79; created the Christmas Tree Shops empire". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  2. dallasnews.com (2010-10-01). "Christmas Tree Shops opens Dallas store". Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  3. Vaccaro, Adam. "Where Christmas Tree Shops got the Holiday-themed name". boston.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. Bed Bath & Beyond sells Christmas Tree Shops and hospitality operation/
  5. Sozzi, Brian (14 October 2020). "Bed Bath & Beyond CEO: We are starting to get some runs on the board". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  6. Local store will be called ‘and That’, not Christmas Tree Shops Archived 2013-11-30 at Archive.today Fredericksburg.com, October 24, 2013
  7. Bed, Bath & Beyond company opens 'andThat!' retail store in Flint Township mlive, October 11, 2013
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